Electric Bill for Large Aquarium (1,000 gallon+).

[JaySchulz]

I dunno how popular solar is in the states but in Australia it's nearly a must. 5kw systems pretty much negates my ducted aircon and tank usage during the day when the suns out


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I haven't done much research on solar but it seems that the little I did about a year ago made no sense for me in Texas. The initial cost to install an adequate system would take 25 years to start recouping savings.


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[JaySchulz]

It scales up fast and hard in California. It was great in the 90's....

I lived in San Diego for a year after high school (about 8 years ago) and I guess I never really realized how expensive electricity was. I did live in an apartment and had two roommates so maybe that's why. I also didn't fully grasp what it meant to be self sufficient because at the time I could ask for help from mom and dad if I really needed it.


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[WLachnit]

Yikes! I'm now very thankful for my city owned utility company.

My most recent electric bill for a 4800 sq foot house (average high during the billing period of 94 degrees) was $325. This included my pool which has a spa and two water falls on a separate pump.

My aquarium is only 160 gallons but I have hardly noticed any change when I added it. The pool is another story. It's new and it jacked my bill up almost $100 a month. Before I built it my highest electric bill was about $225 with the aquarium.

You're less than 1/3 to 1/2 mine. 6100 sq ft house, pool, a couple of reef tanks and electricity is anywhere from $500 -$900. About to put in solar because it is soo ridiculous here in Bay Area.


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[ComforablyNumb]

I haven't done much research on solar but it seems that the little I did about a year ago made no sense for me in Texas. The initial cost to install an adequate system would take 25 years to start recouping savings.

Prices have dropped so much in the last couple years that the average 6 kW system now has a pay back period of 9 - 12 years. Return on investment (ROI) is not the only money math to consider. You immediately begin to save money on your utility bill, and if you were to buy the energy from your solar system, the cost is less than 7 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is well below most of today’s current utility rate.

When you purchase a solar system for a residence between now and December 31, 2019, you will be eligible for a tax credit equal to 30% of the cost of your solar system, including installation, and after any rebates and other incentives.

Also, your solar panel electricity costs will most likely not go up, but your local grid rates most likely will over a couple of decades.

Over 300,000 Americans are now employed in solar. (as compared to less than 100,000 in coal)

 

[Devolver]

I hit $300 for the first time this month.... 300DT

 

[JaysLittleOcean]

A family member and I were discussing electric bills this weekend and they told me theirs was $65 per month. [emoji33]. I asked if the splurged for the led bulbs so they wouldn't burn their hand when moving the bulb from room to room.

 

[ca1ore]

Went back an checked my math .... bad math. Without tank, monthly bill was more like $250, so tank is nominally $150/month.

 

[ReefsandGeeks]

Why worry about electricity bill?. If you can afford building a tank that huge, it is clear that you can afford the electricity consumption. I will be in tears looking at 1000G reef tank at home

I hate when people say something like this, or "if you can afford that fancy sports car you can afford the maintenance". The maintenance cost of hobbies like reef keeping, or having a sports car can often times add up to the cost of the tank itself, or the car itself in relatively short periods of time. $500/month is quite a lot to take on in addition to whatever other monthly bills you may have. If you look at it this way, how long would you have to save up to buy a 1,000gallon tank if you could save $500/month? Sure, you'd have to wait a couple of years but eventually you could buy one. Well, eventually that $500/month bill would more than add up to the cost of the tank setup.

I could afford to get a dodge viper, but not pay for the maintenance on one. Or I could afford to buy a large reef tank, but again, the monthly bill adder would get me in the long run.

I understand that it's easy to look at someone who has something nice like a huge tank and think they have unlimited disposable funds, but that's not often the case.

 

[jda]

I hate when people say something like this, or "if you can afford that fancy sports car you can afford the maintenance". The maintenance cost of hobbies like reef keeping, or having a sports car can often times add up to the cost of the tank itself, or the car itself in relatively short periods of time. $500/month is quite a lot to take on in addition to whatever other monthly bills you may have. If you look at it this way, how long would you have to save up to buy a 1,000gallon tank if you could save $500/month? Sure, you'd have to wait a couple of years but eventually you could buy one. Well, eventually that $500/month bill would more than add up to the cost of the tank setup.

I could afford to get a dodge viper, but not pay for the maintenance on one. Or I could afford to buy a large reef tank, but again, the monthly bill adder would get me in the long run.

I understand that it's easy to look at someone who has something nice like a huge tank and think they have unlimited disposable funds, but that's not often the case.

There is really no getting past the point that the smart people who are going to be really successful with the Dodge Viper or 1000G tank have already thought about and are planning on not on the initial cost but also the maintenance. That is just what responsible folks do. That statement is right on the money.

The rest should be used as cautionary tales and not as role examples.

 

[Socaltoaz]

$450 a month all in for our home. its fixed every month so it averages out the summer and winter months. Scottsdale AZ. 1000 gallon system.

 

[JaysLittleOcean]

There is really no getting past the point that the smart people who are going to be really successful with the Dodge Viper or 1000G tank have already thought about and are planning on not on the initial cost but also the maintenance. That is just what responsible folks do. That statement is right on the money.



The rest should be used as cautionary tales and not as role examples.

Kudos to both statements!

 

[jda]

BTW - even rich people rarely have unlimited disposable funds. Unless they are the very rare elite with generational wealth, they got rich by being smart and saving money and their ability to have a 1000G tank, should they choose, was very deliberate. Most also understand that you have to spend money on some fun-time or else life sucks, but they plan for their spending. Please don't mistake planning and saving as having "unlimited funds..." it bothers me as much as people who think that being smart and working hard is the same thing as "getting lucky."

 

[hogfanreefer]

You're less than 1/3 to 1/2 mine. 6100 sq ft house, pool, a couple of reef tanks and electricity is anywhere from $500 -$900. About to put in solar because it is soo ridiculous here in Bay Area.


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That's wild. I noted someone posted that their rate was $0.40 a kWh. I looked on my bill, our rate is 0.06/kWh.

Since we have natural gas our electric bill is even lower in the winter.

 

[djbon]

I hate when people say something like this, or "if you can afford that fancy sports car you can afford the maintenance". The maintenance cost of hobbies like reef keeping, or having a sports car can often times add up to the cost of the tank itself, or the car itself in relatively short periods of time. $500/month is quite a lot to take on in addition to whatever other monthly bills you may have. If you look at it this way, how long would you have to save up to buy a 1,000gallon tank if you could save $500/month? Sure, you'd have to wait a couple of years but eventually you could buy one. Well, eventually that $500/month bill would more than add up to the cost of the tank setup.

I could afford to get a dodge viper, but not pay for the maintenance on one. Or I could afford to buy a large reef tank, but again, the monthly bill adder would get me in the long run.

I understand that it's easy to look at someone who has something nice like a huge tank and think they have unlimited disposable funds, but that's not often the case.

I won't buy a Ferari if I don't have the money to maintain one. Same thing for a 1000G tank. There is a different of driving a 500 horse power sports car to work everyday than driving a mini car. Sure you can drive that Ferari once in a while, maybe a few times in a year so that you can save buying fuel, your tyre last longer and not having a headache for other maintenance. Your 1000G tank runs 24 hours. I am not saying you can't afford a super car, but why buy a super car for your daily commute if you are worry about filling up the fuel tank?. Having a reef in your house is not cheap, every reefers know that. Happy reefing!

Edit: There are other maintenance need to be done as well. Water changes, fish foods, coral foods, filtration system consumable, glass cleaning etc. All this will add up on your bill too.

 

[djbon]

And don't forget you gonna face some ugliness in your tank as well. How many bottle of vibant liquid needed to treat GHA?. How many fluconazole capsule to treat bryopsis. You might need to hire a scuba diver to brush clean your live rocks. Off course all these are just an example. Just my 2 cents anyway. Happy reefing!

 

[manfrog]

What a depressing thread.
Glad to hear that some are going solar.
It's the ultimate irony that the coal we pay to burn, to power our artficial reefs, is one of the biggest contributors to the death of natural reefs.

 

[Kevin Guthrie]

Hate to add this but I've been kind of depressed over the "other cost" associated with my tank... Over the decades that I've had it, I wonder just how much CO2 was produced to make all the electricity that it has consumed. For sure it hasn't helped the world's reefs any to run it.

 

[jda]

Do something somewhere else to make up for it. Run your AC less in the summer and heat less in the winter (put more clothes on), adopt some kids or pets, bike a few times a week... or something. IMO, it is OK to be heavy in one place and balance it out in others. Just giving away coral frags can save the oceans and jet fuel to get that same person some frags that you did not provide.

If you live in a place where the sun is out and solar is an option, more like 7 or 8 years to get your money back with the new tech and higher output panels. However, if you are doing it for the money, then you are in it for the wrong reasons. The time can be even less if you get tax breaks - we installed some and I don't even get to use the tax breaks with too much income (first world problems, right?).

Solar should be about helping, not about profit. I wanted my tanks and my hot tub to be neutral since I cannot make any argument that they are necessary whatsoever. We just sweat a bit in the late afternoon in the summer (July) until it cools down, rather than run the AC - this more than makes up for half of it and the solar more than covers the rest.

Edit: we also don't turn the heat on in the winter until everybody has on socks, hoodies and long pants. Heated mattress pads can keep you warm at night for a fraction of what it costs to heat a home.

 

[Devolver]

I have quotes to go solar as well. seems like I can lease a 60 panel system that will generate about 2200kWh for $225/month fixed. I believe that will be the way I go...fix energy cost per month for 20 years!

 

[WLachnit]

......it bothers me as much as people who think that being smart and working hard is the same thing as "getting lucky."

I completely agree!! It's annoying as hell.


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